Fishline jerking device



Sept. 26, 1950 R. P. sTALLlNGs FISH LINE JERKING DEVICE y:Pi-1m Aug. v, 11948 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITEDA STATES' PATENT oFFICE 2 Claims.

rIhis invention relates to fishing equipment and more particularly to automatically operated jerk lines.

The principal object of the invention is to improve upon conventional devices for jerking a iishing line, by disposing the line jerking mechanism and its tensioning means above instead of below the surface of the water and is sup-ported upon rather than suspended from a float. The purpose in so arranging the line jerking mechanism is to facilitate its release to exert a quick pull upon the hook line when the bait is taken by a sh and to avoid resistance to the necessarily rapid operation which will occur if the device is required to function while submerged in water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic jerking mechanism for fishing lines so constructed and arranged as to obviate the common tendency of the jerking mechanism in conventional devices to exert a downward pull on the float instead of the expected upward pull on the hook line, which tendency is due partially to the resistance of water in which the mechanism is submerged but chiefly to the fact that the buoyancy of the oat is overcome by theinitial movement of the line and the setting of the hook in the shs mouth, a disadvantage which is partially if not, completely obviated by disposing the line jerking mechanism above the float.

Still another object of the invention is to provide ash line jerking device which may be connected with other identical devices on a common line for group iishing.l

With theforegoing objects in view, the inven tion has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a fish line jerking device constructed according to the presu ent invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof on a larger scale, and

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the trip mechanism per se on a still larger scale.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral Il] denotes a float which may be of any suitable design but is preferably of the type having a comparatively wide area exposed to the water to offer the greatest resistance to submergence.

Attached to the geometrical center of the float I is an upright II which has a double right angular bend in its upper` end to provide an anchorage portion I 2 for the upper end of a coil spr-ing I3. The lower end of the spring is connected to the upper end of a bifurcated catch I4, having an expanded midsection dening a receptacle I5 to receive a protuberance I6 on the confronting face of the upright I I. A transverse pin a extends through the receptacle I5 of catch I4 and engages under the protuberance I6, as seen in Figures 1 and 2 to thus hold the spring I3 under tension. A bolt Il secures the protuberance I6 in fixed relation to the upright.

Pivoted at I3 in the bifurcated lower end of the catch I4 is a release trigger I9. This trigger has a beveled end 2o which bears against the face of the upright II immediately below the protuberance I6 when the device is set and to the opposite end of the trigger is attached the end of a fish line 2 I, which latter extends downwardly through a passage 22 in the float Ill and carries a fish hook 23 on its lower end.

When a fish takes the bait suspended on the hook 23, there is usually a tentative pull on the line 2| which is usually suicient to rock the trigger arm I9 on its pivot I8 and when this occurs, the end 2i] of the trigger will ride on the upright and urge the lower end of the catch I 4 outwardly a distance suflicient to disengage its receptacle I5 from the protuberance I5 on the upright. The spring I3 instantly relaxes and jerks the line 2| and hook 23 upwardly with a force suiicient to set the hook in the mouth of the fish.

If the fisherman has not observed the agitation of the float Ill at the time of release of the catch I4, he has but to notice that the mechanism has been sprung to rebait his hook or to remove his catch and reset the mechanism.

The upper end of the upright II is equipped with means for attaching the device to a main fishing line '2d to which several more of the devices mav be connected.

Man-ifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What Iis claimed is:

l. An automatic jerking mechanism for iish hook lines comprising a oat, an upright on said iloat adapted to be connected at its upper end to a main fishing line, a coil spring. anchored at its upper end to said upright, a catch to which the lower end of said spring is attached, said catch being formed with a receptacle, a protuberance on said upright receivable by said receptacle to hold said spring under tension, a trigger arm pivoted to the lower end of said catch and having a beveled end bearing against said upright below said protuberance, and a sh hook line connected to the opposite end of said trigger arm, eiective when pulled to rock said trigger on its pivot and disengage said catch from said protuberance and release the same to the action of said spring to exert a sudden upward jerk in said sh hook line.

2. An automatic jerking device for shing lines comprising a oat having substantially flat top and bottom surfaces, an upright mounted on the top surface of and disposed entirely above said oat, a coil spring attached at one end adjacent the upper end of said upright, a catch connectedv to the opposite end of said spring, a. protuberance adjacent the lower end of said upright on which said catch is releasably mounted, t0 hold said spring under tension, a trigger arm pivoted to said catch, one end of which engages said upright below said protuberanoe, and a hook line connected to the opposite end of said trigger arm and extending downwardly through a passage in said float and adapted, when pulled downwardly to displace said trigger on its pivot', and thereby release said catch to the action of said spring to exert a sudden upward pull on said iish hook line.

RAYMOND P. STALLINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,614,931 Pennell Jan. 18, 1927 

